1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a dental treatment device, in particular a dental treatment device for the recognition of caries, plaque or bacterial infection of teeth.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Dental treatment devices include, as is known, a dental handpiece to which, on the one hand, a dental treatment instrument or tool can be applied and, on the other hand, to which a supply hose can be connected which in turn is connected with a control device which delivers to the handpiece having the dental treatment instrument, via the supply hose, the respective appropriate operating medium for the dental treatment instrument, such as e.g. current, cooling water, cooling spray or light. In the case of a dental treatment device for the recognition of caries, plaque or bacterial infection of teeth, the dental treatment instrument is a light probe, which irradiates the tooth to be investigated with primary light radiation and at the same time detects, as secondary light radiation, fluorescence radiation excited at the irradiated tooth, and delivers the secondary light radiation to the control device. The control device determines, on the basis of the spectral properties of the detected secondary radiation, the carious condition of the investigated tooth. Corresponding devices are described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,479,499, DE-A1-42 00 741 or DE-U1-93 17 984.
With the known dental treatment devices, the dental treatment instrument is either screwed on to the dental handpiece or plugged on to the dental handpiece. In the case of screwing on, for removal of the dental treatment instrument it is necessary to screw it off of the dental handpiece. In the case of plugging on, the dental treatment instrument is fixed on the dental handpiece by means of a press fit, so that for the removal and withdrawing of the dental treatment instrument a relatively large application of force is necessary. As a rule, the supply hose is also screwed on to or plugged on to the handpiece, so that with regard to the coupling between the supply hose of the dental handpiece the above-said likewise applies.